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6 months to outgrow noob state? I must be a freakin idiot. Anyone got a Freestylin' for Dummies book they could loan me?

Now that there is funny. But remember, guys that stick to one model of kite, have lots of spare time, and fly at the beach, progress fast. Guys that fly 5 different models every other weekend at their local inland fields, not so much.

Denny

I can attest to that. I tend to figure more out in my week of beach flying on vacation than I do in the rest of the year on my crappy inland fields. Smooth wind makes a huge difference when learning.

I have annual week-long beach trips too. Unfortunately, the wind sucked both this year and last.

Which way does the kite face again? I gotta get this, i am sick of climbing the latter and setting the kite on the edge of the roof.... dont know why my wife wont throw it into the air for me anymore?!?!

Get a new one?

Also, sadly, I don't think I was past this point after having owned a kite for 3 months. My first time out? A guy driving past the field shouted out his car window, "It's better in the air!"

As they say, if Mohammed will not go to the mountain, the mountain must come to Mohammed. Or something like that. Hey, when are those ocean levels supposed to rise, again?

So nothing will tear the fabric of a kite forum apart quite as quickly as asking its members to list the best kites in order.

As this section's moderator, let me tell you that this is cheerful banter. You are highly unlikely to reach a universal view on..... well, anything really. Embrace diversity.

Mike, as a forum regular (forums in general, not this forum), I've come to the realization that forums in general have those couple people who have a long-time rivalry (or as is often the case, hatred) for one another and will hijack threads all the time to argue with and libel each other. For some reason this forum seems to lack those guys. It's quite refreshing that people can have their ideas challenged and actually have a cheerful banter, even if it's about which kite is the best. Great forum!

i have a CDC Stx 1.9 and a Level One JTM that might work as well for you......

There's WAY too many acronyms in this statement for me to decipher what you're offering me here. When "talking kite" please speak to me as you would a 6 year old. At least for a while while until I get up to speed.

Which way does the kite face again? I gotta get this, i am sick of climbing the latter and setting the kite on the edge of the roof.... dont know why my wife wont throw it into the air for me anymore?!?!

Wait a second, are you saying there's a different way to do this? While flying at Seaside last week my wife and two daughters would take turns launching me. I guess I should learn this new-fangled technique because they were getting tired of it after just a couple hours!

Which way does the kite face again? I gotta get this, i am sick of climbing the latter and setting the kite on the edge of the roof.... dont know why my wife wont throw it into the air for me anymore?!?!

Wait a second, are you saying there's a different way to do this? While flying at Seaside last week my wife and two daughters would take turns launching me. I guess I should learn this new-fangled technique because they were getting tired of it after just a couple hours!

When you need to relaunch the kite you will need a kite stake ( or big screwdriver) which you stick into the ground and loop your straps around to keep tension in the lines while you set the kite up to re launch.

On the beach you can lay the kite on it's back and throw a couple of handfulls of sand onto the sail to stop it moving - when you take up the tension in the lines and stand the kite up the sand will fall off.

I have a rather good kite book on my computer which use to be available online but the link no longer works. It is ideal for new fliers and explains a lot of the 'lingo' and is around 120 pages ( 10 meg download). If either of you guys would like a copy PM me your Email address and I'll send it to you.

I have a rather good kite book on my computer which use to be available online but the link no longer works. It is ideal for new fliers and explains a lot of the 'lingo' and is around 120 pages ( 10 meg download). If either of you guys would like a copy PM me your Email address and I'll send it to you.

Wait a second, are you saying there's a different way to do this? While flying at Seaside last week my wife and two daughters would take turns launching me. I guess I should learn this new-fangled technique because they were getting tired of it after just a couple hours!

Huh, that wouldn't be Seaside near Destin or Panama City, FL would it? I'm just down the road from there.

Tekcor, I guess you invest whatever you are willing to bear. A lot of the suggested kites are geat from what I hear. I've only been able to try a few of them.

You appear to be in a good location to meet up with other kiters. That will certainly help your learning and progress. I am in no mans land basically. I've only been able to meet up with a couple of kiters a couple of times since fliers are even more rare out here.

In my case investing a lot of money in a high end boutique kite didn't make sense because I am like a caveman learning how to make fire out here. I don't think pushing new fliers into top tier kites is a good move to grow the sport. When teaching kids how to golf, do we tell them that they need to get the most expensive TaylorMade or Callaway clubs to play the game? I have had LOTS of lawn darts and LOTS of hard lessons and I appreciate the sturdiness of my Quantum and Hypnotist while I am learning to fly like a blind man. I will loook into a high level kite some point in the future, but if you are in the growing stage you will need to weigh the winds you have and ability to get help to progress. Maybe you might save some money on replacing so many carbon rods.

I don't have the opportunity to live in the coastal areas for premium winds, but I'm happy flying and doing what I've been able to learn so far. I learn something new everytime I come on this forum and it is incredibly helpful. Good Luck and great winds.

In my case investing a lot of money in a high end boutique kite didn't make sense because I am like a caveman learning how to make fire out here. I don't think pushing new fliers into top tier kites is a good move to grow the sport. When teaching kids how to golf, do we tell them that they need to get the most expensive TaylorMade or Callaway clubs to play the game? I have had LOTS of lawn darts and LOTS of hard lessons and I appreciate the sturdiness of my Quantum and Hypnotist while I am learning to fly like a blind man. I will loook into a high level kite some point in the future, but if you are in the growing stage you will need to weigh the winds you have and ability to get help to progress. Maybe you might save some money on replacing so many carbon rods..

I like to think that I at least now a little about how this stuff works and I'm always saddened to see someone working like a rented mule with a kite that I can't even do much with. I figure they've got no chance at all or it's going to take them a decade.

Anyhow, make sure that you've seen a variety of folks work a specific kite in the way that you want to be able to before you invest your precious recreation time with it - IMO.

To date no high end boutique came out of the bag and gave me tricks I did not know.

In the spirit of bonhomie and general getting along with each other I am refraining from my usual post at this stage, hilarious though I always find the knee jerk reaction.

Meanwhile... have you actually bought a kite yet, original poster ?

Mike.

Nope, it was suggested earlier in the thread that I wait until the Whidbey Kite Festival that is coming up later this month and pick one up there. As much as I REALLY want to just buy one so I can start flying, I'm waiting a few more weeks so I can get one there.

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